Severe thunderstorm watch until 1 a.m. includes parts of the Twin Cities

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 1 a.m. for most of central Minnesota.

The watch zone runs roughly from a Fargo to Duluth line, southward to the Twin Cities.

The watch includes the northern half of the Twin Cities area, including Minneapolis and St. Paul. Damaging winds to 70 mph and large hail up to 2-inches in diameter are the primary threats with the strongest storms tonight.

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 420

NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 345 PM CDT Fri Aug 7 2020

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of central Minnesota southeastern North Dakota northeastern South Dakota northwestern Wisconsin

* Effective this Friday afternoon and Saturday morning from 345 PM until 100 AM CDT.

* Primary threats include... Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2 inches in diameter possible A tornado or two possible

SUMMARY...Severe thunderstorms, including a couple of supercells, are expected to form across parts of the Red River Valley into west-central Minnesota late this afternoon, before consolidating into an organizing cluster by early evening. This cluster of storms is expected to then track east-southeastward across the remainder of central Minnesota into northwestern Wisconsin by late evening. Initial storms may pose a risk for severe hail, with some potential for an isolated tornado or two, before strong wind gusts become the primary severe hazard later this evening.

Right now short-range forecast models suggest the Twin Cities may not see strong to potentially severe T-Storms until after midnight, to around sunrise. The most favorable area for severe weather tonight is north of the Twin Cities.

Stay alert for possible warnings in the watch zone tonight.